,3,10,11,18,19-HEXAHOMO-3,9,11-TRIOXACALIX[3]ARENE IN A PARTIAL-CONE CONFORMATION

Reaction of p-phenylhexahomocalix[3]arene (I-H) with bromomethyl aceta te and potassium carbonate in acetone leads to the title triester deri vative, (I-CH(2)CO(2)Et) {triethyl l-3,11,19-trioxatetracyclo[19.3.1.1 (5,9).1(13,17]) heptacosa-1(25),5,7,9(27), (26),21,23-nonaene-25,26,27 -triyltris(oxyacetate), C54H54O12}, in a partial-cone conformation, wh ich crystallizes with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. In this co nformation, (I-CH(2)CO(2)Et) is adapted for selective complexation of the K+ cation. We describe in this paper the synthesis and conformatio nal behaviour of (I-CH(2)CO(2)Et) as determined by H-1 NMR spectroscop y and X-ray diffractometry.